Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.

— Voltaire

I can’t believe it’s time to end yet another year. A brand new decade is just a few weeks away.

Which has me looking back and wondering: What have I gotten done this year? What do I regret? What am I most proud of?

These are some of the questions we will tackle together this month.

This week’s intention

If you aren’t careful, you can end up allocating all of your mental energy over the next month toward completing holiday tasks instead of steering your life toward joy, purpose, and meaning.

You can look up four weeks from now without being any closer to knowing what you want from this next year, decade and your overall life.

My intention is to ask myself hard questions.

Instead, I want to encourage you to be deliberate about the questions you ask yourself this month and throughout your life.

Commit to spend the next four weeks with me reconnecting with the truest parts of yourself.

This week, starts with two simple questions:

Who did you help this year?

AND

What have you learned about yourself?

I recommend writing out your thoughts if you can. But if not, simply set aside time to think on each question during your commute to and from work.

Pray about them or ask them aloud just before starting your daily meditation.

Hold each question in your spirit as you take a walk outside and see what answers start coming up for you.

We’ll have more questions next week. See you then!

 

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

 

If you’re reading this from the US, you know that Thanksgiving is a little more than a week away.

For many, the holiday break will be just as much (if not more) taxing as the average workweek.

So you’ll have to be deliberate about managing your energy and planning for rest.

You have to prioritize getting what you need to stay spiritually full.

This week’s intention

Thanksgiving experiences vary—retail workers barely have a holiday at all, many of us deal with mentally and emotionally challenging relatives, traveling can be physically draining, and even the most excited hosts among us can succumb to fatigue by the time the last guest leaves.

My intention is to plan for rest and renewal.

This week, before you jump into all the planning, cooking, shopping, working, hosting and traveling, take a moment to consider how and when you will make time for rest.

Journal on the topic of rest and be as specific as possible. Ask yourself:

• When will I be able to rest next week? What days and for how long?
• What do I want to do during my rest time (e.g. read, sleep, watch television, mediate, take a walk, all of the above)?
• Can I rest when I am around others or do I need to be alone?
• Who do I need to discuss my rest schedule with in advance?
• On days when no downtime can be found, how will I steal a few moments to reset (e.g. deep breathing exercises in the bathroom or praying silently for stamina)?
• Is there anyone else I should or could help find time to rest?

I pray you have a pleasant holiday and I’m grateful for our time together. I’ll be off resting next week and will see you in December!

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

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I spent my weekend in the mountains with over 100 women, all there to be spiritually-renewed and refreshed.

Many of these women are my teachers, mentors and support system. They bless me with the comfort of knowing who will be there for me, when I inevitably need it.

And they know they can also count on me.

This week’s intention

As a leader and a colleague, there are many opportunities to support the people you work with. The line between professional and personal relationships should blur when you show up to work open-hearted.

I’ve seen my colleagues bury their parents, siblings, best friends, spouses and even children. They have had health scares, family emergencies, mental health crises and devastating divorces. And those are just the things I know about.

Statistically, I am sure I worked with people dealing with domestic violence, substance abuse problems, financial hardships and a host of other things they dared not speak about at work.

My intention is to create and foster community.

There will be times in your life when we are not strong enough to hold up others. In those seasons, you need community.

When we have the strength to do so, build community and work to support the people in your life that are hurting.

This week, reflect on your ability and strength to care for others. Pray and journal about attracting and nurturing relationships that will build or invigorate your sense of community.

That’s plenty to focus on for one week. See you soon!

 

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

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Are you ready for Election Day?

It’s an honor and duty to vote.

But also, you may be looking forward to sitting down in front of your television again without watching attack ads.

Like many, I know there has to be a better way to engage in campaigning. But since many people still make their decisions rooted in fear, the frightening ads continue.

Fear based decisions grow our capacity for fear. Love based decisions grow our capacity for love.

This week’s intention

If you’re able, voting is the most important thing you can do this week. I encourage you to use your opportunity to speak up for what you believe in.

My intention is to make choices rooted in love.

But once Tuesday has passed, shift your prayers and reflection to how fear and love may be impacting your life and work. Journal about your fears and your desire to work in love.

• Is fear driving any of your current business dealings or career decisions? Are you worried about your future safety or security?
• Are you engaged in a line of work that profits from fear or builds in love? How does that impact you personally?
• Are you building a broad and diverse professional network? If not, what is holding you back?

This is your private time and nobody will know any of your answers, but it is important to do this work and be honest with yourself. It is impossible to live in love when we are making decisions anchored in fear. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself these tough questions.

See you soon.

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

It’s amazing how many of our secret fears are widely shared.

Recently, I published an article about why thinking you can never be satisfied at work is a common and destructive belief.

This fear leads to self-talk that undermines your power and keeps you stuck in bad situations. If this is something you struggle with, be sure to read the article below.

Forbes: Why You Think You’ll Never Be Satisfied At Work And What To Do About It

But either way, know that your beliefs, fears and self-talk habits play a huge role in your destiny. You will have to change your thinking if you hope to change your life.

This week’s intention

Do you believe you can be happy? Do you think you can be successful? Are you determined, disciplined, skilled and savvy?

Ask yourself these questions and pay attention when you feel hesitation.

My intention is to affirm my destiny with positive thoughts.

This week, work to observe your self-talk. Don’t get upset when you discover negative or self defeating thoughts. We all have them. Simply notice them and try to shift toward a more positive narrative.

More on this next week.

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

National Boss’s Day is later this week, which has me thinking about what makes a good boss or mentor. Is it how much they care about you? Is it how they make your life easier? Is it how they move your career forward?

While I’ve worked with and for many smart and kind people, it’s the leaders that significantly grew my skills that I remember most. These people are critical to realizing your dreams and you have to be deliberate in seeking them out.

This week’s intention

Whether you have a traditional boss or not, assessing your support and development team is something you should do every 6-12 months.

Ask yourself:

• What specific skills are you trying to improve?
• Are you learning from the people you work with regularly?
• Is someone taking you under their wing and helping you raise your game to the next level?

My intention is to prioritize my development.

While supporting and growing others, you may have forgotten to prioritize your own development. But don’t wait a moment longer.

Take the time this week to consider the areas you want or need to grow in and create a targeted plan on how you are going to get there. Do you need to connect with experts in your field or ask someone to formally mentor you? Is it time to hire a career, business or leadership coach? Are there development conversations with your boss that you’ve been putting off?

Let these questions hold your attention and inspire your next steps.

See you soon!

 

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

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Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

 

 

This week, I refreshed and updated my LinkedIn profile. I’m not looking for a new job, but I thought it was time that I took my own professional brand as seriously as I tell other people to.

Often we find ourselves working for others, giving them our best advice or helping them do something important, but not taking care of ourselves in the same way.

I’m certainly guilty of this and I bet you are too.

This week’s intention

What kind of help do other people seek you out for? Is it a specific expertise or task? Are you known to be comforting, supportive or encouraging to others? What are your gifts and are you sharing them with yourself?

This idea is not meant to limit what you give to others. By all means, keep giving your time and talents away. Just make sure you are not neglecting yourself in the process.

My intention is to use my gifts on myself.

Self care and service go hand and hand because one builds the capacity for the other.

For me, it was time to update my LinkedIn profile. Doing so, proved that I cared about growing my own network and attracting new connections. And my network matters, it empowers my life’s work.

Find one small thing you can do this week to prove to yourself that you and your work matter. Find a way to turn your gifts toward yourself.

See you soon!

 

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

---

Meet me here to connect more often.

---

Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

 

 

It’s a natural instinct to fight for the things you value most. So if you want to evaluate your priorities, it helps to take a look at your life to see what you’re protecting.

What are the things on your calendar that you will not move? Or rarely move? What do you set aside time for?

And what things have fallen into the nice to have or if you feel up to it bucket? What are the things you hope to do, but never seem to find the time for?

This week’s intention

Your challenge for this week is to identify something you want more of in your life AND to protect the time you set aside for it.

My intention is to guard time for the things I value.

Protect your time to be alone, time to rest, time in nature, time with loved ones, time to brainstorm and dream, or time to do something fun and silly. Whatever you’ve been craving, this is the week to figure out how and when you’ll treat yourself to it.

Learning to spend your time on the things you value is a critical step in pursuing your dreams. But this week, start small. Start with a bath. Start with a walk. Just start.

See you soon!

 

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

---

Meet me here to connect more often.

---

Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.

 

 

This week, my goal is to share more of myself with you. We all want to be deeply known, but it is hard to share who we really are, especially in newer relationships.

Sharing who you are is a skill that can improve with practice, which is something I’ve been working on for almost a decade. I can assure you that it is worth the effort to let your true self come out more so you can better attract the people and life experiences you want.

This week’s intention

I wasn’t sure, what would be the best way to share more about who I am.

I could point you to my LinkedIn profile where I keep my business accomplishments or send you to the part of my website that shares my upbringing. My Instagram account shows bits of my personal life.

In the end, I decided that the best plan was to share this podcast interview. If you have time and interest, I’d be honored to have you listen. This interview reflects who I am, what I want for you, what I’m struggling with and a glimpse of what I’ve been through. As an introvert, sharing my life more broadly has not been an easy journey, but there is a greater purpose to it.

My intention is to share more of my true self with the people around me.

This week, I hope you will take the time to reflect on how you might share more of yourself with others. It’s fine if that is a slow process, but decide how you can get started.

We’ll talk more next week.

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Working Whole is available on Amazon and all major online book retailers.

WORKING WHOLE: How to Unite Your Spiritual Beliefs and Your Work to Live Fulfilled 

#workingwholebook

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Learn more about Simply Service, my work and me at Purpose and Kourtney’s story.

---

Meet me here to connect more often.

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Know someone else that needs peace and inspiration in their work life? Send them my way.